Improvement in telegraphic repeaters



C. H. RUDD.

Telegraphic Repeater. No. 55,541. Patented June 12, 1866.

U Af Z TENS, PhnhrLHhugnphcn washm tm nv Q PATENT Erica G. H. RUDD, OFSANDUSKY, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TELEGRAPHIC REPEATERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,541, dated June 172,1366.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, O. H. RUDD, ot'Sandusky, in the county of Erie andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTelegraph-Repeaters; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull and complete description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ofthis specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the repeater.Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig-I3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a view of theunder side. 5 is a view of the end opposite i'roinFig. 3.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the difi'erent views.

My improvement in telegraphrepeaters relates to bringing into actionfresh currents at such points as maybe necessary to produce anintelligible and correct transmission of signals over straight ordiverging lines, as hereinafter described.

The figures in the accompanying drawings -represent different views ofone side of a telegraph-repeater, double or duplicate instruments beingused, one on each side, so as to connect with the lines in the usualway.

The description of the construction and operation of one instrument isessentially the same as the other, and the explanation of one sounderembraces the other, the instrument being arranged and connected toordinary re lays in any suitable manner to attain the desired object.The connection of the relay to the sounder is the same as for ordinarybusiness. The relay breaks and closes the local currents, which operatesthe sounder just as it does in any and all cases where sounders areused.

The important object to be attained in telegraphing is speed, accuracy,and precision in the signals transmitted. To accomplish this it isimportant to avoid rewriting by hand as much as possible.

There is no fixed limit to the length of perfectly insulated wire overwhich telegraphic signals may be transmitted; but in the present stateof insulation business is more readily and profitably conducted bydividing the circuit into lengths of from one hundred to three hundredmiles, with batteries at each end.

A A are binding-posts for the attachment of the local circuit. B is apost, to which setscrews P P are connected for regulating the motion ofthe leverE. F F are posts for supporting the lever E. N N are set-screwsarranged on the posts F for regulating the position of the lever.

O 0 represent coils, and D the armature of the coils. G is abinding-post, to which the main line is attached after it has passedthrough the signal-key ot' the circuit. H is a spiral wire extendingbetween the bindingpost G and lever, to which it is attached at theends. L is a postfor the attachment of the wire of the main batteryafter it has passed through the relay employed for that circuit. K is apost to which is attached one end of a quantity of very fine iron wirethat is designed to offer resistance to a current of electricity equalto fifty miles, more or less, of ordinary line-wire, to be variedaccording to the adjustment of the relay. M is a flat spring fastened tothe top of the post L, runs parallel to the armature D ot'the coils, andreaches over and rests upon the post K when not prevented. S is aplatina-pointed set-screw, placed in the end of the lever E under thespring M, there being platina on the spring where it comes in contactwith the set-screw. It is between these points that the main connectionis made.

X is the base on which the operating parts are arranged. The lower endsof the posts extend through onto the under side, where they are secured,as represented in Fig. 4.

\V \V are wires that connect the bindingposts A A with the coils G C. ItIt are binding-screws in the lower part of the posts L and K.

The adjustment of the sounder is shown at T T in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 may be seen the points at which the wires are attached, theattachment being made by means of binding-screws on the right of eachpost.

The operation of this instrument is as follows: While the sounder standsopen the connection between the screw S and spring M is broken, leavingM to rest upon the top of the post K. As K is connected with the ground,it forms just as good a conductor as the line itself, and the groundconnection being made through such great resistance protects thebat teryfrom all injury. It matters not whether S and M, or M and K areconnected, so long as the line-wire remains closed at all points,

2 55,54lll except in the instrument itself there must be a current overthat part of the circuit between the main battery and the instrument.The relay of the circuit at that point is in this part of the line, andconsequently is constantly under the influence of a current. It the lineshould be opened outside of the instrument, then the first close of thesounder would break the circuit between M and K without having the powerto establish it again between M and S 5 therefore the relay must open,which would open the other sounder and break the other line.

As the other sounder is constructed in the same manner and has its wiresattached in the same way as the one described, it has the same power;hence either sounder may work in a circuit without the power to open therelay of that circuit at that point.

The superiority of this improvement in point of economy and facility ofoperation is apparent, as by the ordinary method an extra local batteryis required for each repeating-sounder, but with this instrument thesame results are produced by a simple management of the main currents ofthe lines placed together upon the repeater. g

In the action of a line there are little intervals during which themain-battery power of that line is inactivethat is, when the line isopen. It is just at this moment that some extra force is required tohold one relay shut, or else that the power which would open the relaybe removed. In the ordinary way the power which would open the relay isremoved, but with my method extra force is used to hold the relay shut;and this extra power is found in the main current, which is unemployedjust at the moment when needed. The current at this moment is used bymeans of the ground connection or resistance-wire attached to the postK. Vhen the sounder stands closed the set-screw S presses upward againstthe spring M, which lifts M off the post K. Should the sounder open, Mwould follow S in its downward motion, until M comes in contact with K,when the connection between S and M would be broken. During the intervalthat S and M are not in connection M and K must be. In either case thecurrent pro duced must pass through the relay, thus holdingit closed, solong as its line remains closed at all points except in the instrumentitself. By the present method at least two cups of a local battery oneach side are used, besides the local force necessary to work thesounders. But with this mode no local power except such as may benecessary to work the sounders is employed, the results depending uponthe simple management of the main currents.

There are during the operation of a telegraphline little intervalsduring which the main battery, as far as that line is concerned, is notemployed for anythin At these intervals, and only then, are the timeswhen the action must take place to prevent a line breaking itself. Bymeans of a ground connection of great resistancethe main battery is usedduring the intervals when its current is not traversing the line, tohold the relay closed. It may be illustrated thus, numberin thebatteries 1 and 2: "When No. 1 opens it does not stop the action of thebattery power assigned to No. 2, but simply transfersit to anotherchannel, for when the battery of No.2 is not passing over the line,being prevented by No. l, which is open, it must be passing to theground through the resistaneewvire. In either case the current must passthrough the relay, which keeps it closed, the circuit through onechannel never being broken until it is established through the other.

YVith this instrument there is a' great saving of power, from the factthat power already in existence is brought out and used in place ofrequiring extra power from other sources, all the power required beingobtained from the main current instead of keeping up a local battery forthis purpose.

In the breakingoflines, when it is necessary to use a ground-wire, oneground is sufficient for as many lines as is necessary to run it.Therefore the resistance-wire which is used will be sufficient for allthe repeaters in an office. This wire may be divided into coils, andeach instrument provided with a switch, by means of which the resistancemay be varied whenever there is sufficient change in the adjustment torequire it.

\Vhat I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The posts G L, with the spring M, post K, and extension of the lever Ebeyond the line of the posts F F, so arranged as to enable me to useextra force for holding the relay closed when said extra power isobtained from the main current, which is unemployed just at the timewhen needed, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

0. H. RUDD.

Witnesses:

GEO. SWEITZER, ANDREW O. FREY.

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